Showing 1-54 of 54 items found in History

The Egyptian Theatre hosts film festivals, special movie screenings, and live entertainment events. This theatre is a 1929, fully restored Egyptian Art Deco movie palace and is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. The Egyptian is also available for rentals, tours, weddings, graduations, parties and receptions. Capacity: 1,419 Raised stage with dressing room below; balcony and lobby space. - New Google Maps 360 tour of the theatre is now available http://bit.ly/1TJnAdb

Come tour the Northern Illinois University, catch a show preformed by their Theatre or Dance department, or explore one of their Art Galleries. There is much to do on campus including their new Anthropology Museum, an Observatory, the Huskies Den or take in a game! Their Museums are free to visit, some fees may apply for shows or School of Music Concerts. There is never a dull moment on campus!

Bea Gurler was nine years old when her father George moved his family into the house in 1893. Her cousins, the children of her father’s brother Henry, had been living since 1888 in the Ellwood Mansion. Everyone said it was magnificent. Bea’s parents George and Zillah, evidently shared a taste in homes that favored the elegance of simplicity. It was the unimposing yet dignified structure on Pine Street–where the back door was always open. George and Henry Gurler were both prominent businessmen, and joint owners of a number of dairies. They quickly became world-famous and respected by many dairy farmers. Bea eventually made it a goal of hers to renovate The Gurler House to be the home that she once new and loved. The Gurler House hosts an annual Folk Music Festival every summer, where people are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy the music. While you are at The Gurler House, make sure to take a walk through their beautiful garden.

Features 15 historic buildings that trace the history of Kendall County plus an 1819 Chicago Burlington & Quincy caboose, a fully-stocked general store, an 1840s schoolhouse, town hall, a working blacksmith shop, the Plano Train Depot, (c. 1850s) and Yorkville Firehouse (c. 1888).

The Illinois Lincoln Highway Coalition presents 16 Interpretive Gazebos along the Lincoln Highway, a 179-mile National Scenic Byway in Northern Illinois. The DeKalb gazebo offers a unique and interactive way for visitors to learn the significance of the highway in DeKalb while enjoying stories of the early Lincoln Highway and its other Illinois communities.

The memorials here are a tribute to veterans of the Vietnam War, Korean War, Gulf War and World War II. The war memorials are the only ones built in the U.S. by youth, constructed by Boy Scouts of Troop 312 Rochelle as Eagle Projects.

Air Classics is an aviation museum located at Aurora Municipal Airport - ARR where the aircraft actually fly. You can climb into the pilot's seat of a UH-1 Huey helicopter. The museum's collection includes aircraft, vehicles, uniforms and other aviation memorabilia from the 1930s to the present time. General Admission: Saturdays and Sundays 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Group Tours: Tuesdays through Fridays by appointment.

Discover Geneva's historic districts - from the refurbished downtown storefronts to the dozens of treasured Third Street Victorian homes that now house over 100 unique specialty shops and quaint eateries.

The Fabyan Villa Museum, a 1907 Frank Lloyd Wright redesign, is located in the Fabyan Forest Preserve. It houses unique natural and Oriental artifacts from the collection of Colonel George and Nelle Fabyan.

The Nehring Gallery is a space within DeKalb dedicated to promoting arts and culture. It is currently the home of the DeKalb Area Agricultural Heritage Association, an organization dedicated to preserving and sharing the storied history of agriculture in northern Illinois, through exhibits, educational programs and community outreach. Visit their website to see what exhibit is on display today!

DuPage County, Chicago’s Western Suburbs - Housed in historic Turner Town Hall (National Register site), the museum features community history exhibits and a research collection including local history and railroad materials. The Kid Zone Gallery offers changing hands-on displays for all ages.

Created by Colonel and Mrs. George Fabyan, who lived on the 600-acre estate from 1905 to the 1930s, the estate includes a restored villa with diverse collections, a Japanese garden and a Dutch windmill.

The story of the Ellwood House reflects the central role of Isaac Ellwood in the development of the barbed wire industry in America. The magnificent estate is also a testimony to three generations of the Ellwood family whose tastes shaped the evolution of the house and grounds. As you visit Ellwood House you will be aware of the comfort and quality of workmanship. At the same time, you also sense the warmth and hospitality of a family home that was lived in for almost one hundred years. The Ellwood House provides historical tours of the grand Victorian and are approximately one hour tour times. Tours are available for teachers, students, groups, and families. Capacity: 80-100

Joseph Farwell Glidden's invention of one of the most widely-used types of barbed wire in 1873 helped change the history of the American West and had far-reaching impact throughout the world. His Homestead, a Victorian Mansion, in DeKalb, IL, is being preserved and restored by a not-for-profit organization founded in 1995. Both the home and the barn are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. We welcome your visit and encourage your membership!

Dating back to 1855, the chapel is Kendall County's oldest church building, adorned with stained glass windows and a restored 1899 pipe organ. The adjacent hall houses local artifacts, including photographs and clothing.

Selected by Warner Bros to represent Smallville in the filming “Man of Steel”, Plano is now the home of the Smallville Museum. The museum collection contains a variety of props and other items used in the filming of the latest Superman movie.

An authentic, five-story (68 feet) working Dutch windmill located on the Fox River Trail. Built in the 1850's by two German craftsmen and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Volunteer millers serve as docents on the weekends. The Fabyan Windmill is open weekends, May 15 – October 15, from 1-4 p.m. Private tours are also available by appointment.

The Bliss House Museum is operated by the Sugar Grove Historical Society and houses historical exhibits about the village of Sugar Grove and surrounding area. Anyone interested in researching their heritage, may contact the museum for access to probate and civil records dating 1839 - 1955. Hours: Open every Tuesday 1-4 pm or by appointment.

The Aurora Public Art Commission hosts rotating exhibits displaying a full spectrum of innovative arts. The History Center has a collection of photographs, books, maps and other memorabilia. The Museum Shop offers hand-crafted jewelry, pottery and textiles from local artists and Aurora-themed gifts.

The Joiner History Room is a cooperative effort of the DeKalb County Board, the County Judiciary, the County Clerk’s Office, the County Facilities Management Office, Sycamore Library and DeKalb County Citizens concerned with safeguarding their historical documents. The Joiner History Room is an archives that has many items of museum quality. Our historical materials date back to the hand written minutes of the first session of the County Commissioners in 1837. As there has never been a fire to destroy any of the county valuable historical files, they have been meticulously preserved to meet the needs of today’s researchers. The collection includes Civil War papers, newspaper files, old photographs and numerous boxes of manuscript materials.

The Illinois Lincoln Highway Coalition has produced many Interpretive Murals along the Illinois Lincoln Highway National Scenic Byway and its corridor in northern Illinois. The DeKalb mural depicts the history, heritage, and events of the highway and its impact on DeKalb and the other communities along the Illinois route.

Spanning the entire Fox River, features include the circa 1930 “Memory” and “Victory” statues in honor of fallen soldiers from World War I. In 1930, Chicago sculptor Emory P. Seidel designed the original plans for the bridge. As a period publication stated, using an artist made the bridge “remarkable in its beauty and unique in its design."

Tour the oldest remaining structure in the village. The home was originally owned by Montgomery’s founder, Daniel Gray. A museum offers an educational history of the Village of Montgomery. Open 2nd Tuesday and 3rd Sunday of each month, 12:30-2:30 p.m. May-October.

The Milan Township District #83 Schoolhouse served as a center for learning from the turn of the century until 1942. In 1942, it was closed and left to deteriorate. However, the schoolhouse was given a new lease on life when it was donated to the Blackwell History of Education Museum in 1996 and then rebuilt on the campus of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL. Since 1999, the Milan Schoolhouse has been available to teachers at elementary and middle schools for re-enactment of a typical day in a one-room schoolhouse, professors at NIU and other institutions, and teachers at high schools for classes, other events, and families and organizations for various activities. We wish to thank Dr. Eui-Kyung Shin, assistant professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning, for her guidance of Rebecca Edwards in the development of this curriculum.A Blackwell Museum staff member has created lesson plans for students in 1st through 8th grade that allow them to experience a school day in the early 1900s, depending on the teacher's preference. The one room school is currently unavailable for visits, but we hope to have it open again in the Spring of 2014. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at blackwell@niu.edu.

The Garfield Farm Museum is an 1840s living history farm featuring the story of the Garfield family, the Brick Tavern & Inn, restored barns, heirloom gardens, rare farm animals, restored prairie and more.

Restored, One-room schoolhouse serves as living museum. Open June to early September. Groups welcome by appointment. They actually sit at desks in the one room schoolhouse while a docent explains how teaching was done in 1872. They also participate in playing the games the students played during their recess periods.

The Sycamore History Museum strives to collect, preserve, interpret, and exhibit significant materials relating to Sycamore and the surrounding area, to provide related educational services for the public knowledge of Sycamore.

Built in 1856, the Stone Mill was originally used to produce flour. In 1965, the building was deeded to the Sandwich Historical Society. The building itself is a museum exhibit which includes the original beams and support posts made of 125 year old timber. The historical society first opened the museum to the public in 1969 and now includes three floors of exhibits. Among the exhibits are fire fighting equipment, antique car, furniture, signage, photos and many other items from the area's past. The museum is open every Sunday, 1-4pm during warm months (April to October).

The Warrenville Museum is located in an 1858 Greek Revival Methodist Church that was later used as an art studio by Adam Albright and his sons, Ivan and Malvin. Exhibits include art, featuring works by the Albrights, and local history.

Although the Sycamore Public Library did not open its doors until 1892, we can trace its roots back to 1875 when a Chautauqua Scientific Circle was formed in Sycamore. Once members had completed the course, they established the Athena Literary Society in order to form a public library. Over the course of three years they raised $700 and asked city council to appropriate money for books and that the mayor appoint a board of directors. On July 12, 1892, the Sycamore Public Library opened in Hoyt and Rogers’ Store, second floor, in the backroom. This building now is occupied by Marlyn’s Majorettes. The City Council appropriated $800 to purchase books. The Athena Literary Society assisted with funding the library for the first two years. Miss Flora Jeannette Dow, a member of Athena, was the first librarian. In 1902, Andrew Carnegie offered the City of Sycamore $10,000 for the construction of a library, provided an acceptable site could be secured and that the Sycamore City Council would annually appropriate at least 10% of his donation for maintaining the building. Mr. Frederick B. Townsend donated the property where the library stands today. Miss Dow received the honor of placing the first trowel of mortar on the cornerstone on May 24, 1905. Over the next 90 years, several renovation and remodeling projects took place and then on October 14, 1995, a new era of growth began with the groundbreaking ceremony for the library expansion. Today we are looking at ways to serve the community’s needs by providing the best possible services and programs available.

North Grove School, 3 miles northwest of Sycamore, was built in 1878 by the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church as a parochial and Sunday school. Pupils of diverse ethnic backgrounds learned their lessons in Swedish, even several years after the DeKalb County public school system purchased the school in 1880. The Sycamore unit district acquired the school in 1949, and it continued as a school until 1952, when it was closed. The North Grove community continued to lovingly maintain the building and used it as a neighborhood social center for many years. Classroom in School Upon the closing of North Grove School in 1952, all furnishings were removed. However many furnishings from old Sycamore schools were still in storage in the 1960s when the Natural Resource Center in Genoa began using the site for special education programs. The school was refurbished and re-supplied using these furnishings, with additional period pieces being donated by private citizens. In 1970 North Grove School at 26745 Brickville Road (Map) was listed in the Illinois Directory of Historical Buildings. On May 24, 2012 the United States Department of the Interior placed the school and its outbuildings on the National Register of Historical Places. Today the school is still owned by the Sycamore School District but is leased to and lovingly cared for by the North Grove School Association, whose goal is to preserve this educational icon for future generations.

The Historical Society is a beautiful building available for rental capable of seating 70-80 people comfortably. With a full kitchen and AC it makes a great venue for any social gathering. Call 815-825-2330 to inquire on a rental date.

The Haish Memorial Library building built in 1930 is the current home for the DeKalb Public Library. Open 7 days a week and recently remodeled and expanded, the library now offers more services and creates a great learning environment. The building offers gallery as well as meeting space and houses over 150,000 books, dvds, cds and more.

The Anthropology Museum at Northern Illinois University was founded in 1964 and is operated as part of the Department of Anthropology. The museum houses over 20,000 objects comprised mostly of ethnographic material with some archaeological material. The museum specializes in cultures of Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and the Southwest and Plains Native Americans. In addition, the museum holds smaller collections from Africa, modern Greece, Mesoamerica, and South America. The museum is particularly proud of the Native American basket collection, featuring over 200 specimens, as well as the Indonesian textile collection, which contains over 600 pieces. In addition, the museum also houses about 100 different Indonesian shadow puppets, a fine collection of Thai khon masks, and important collections of Hmong and Karen artifacts. The museum has a growing collection of modern Mesoamerican artifacts reflecting the cultural and artistic changes taking place in modern Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico. The Museum is open during the NIU Academic Year.